1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to a snap-on rotary protective top cover or attachment for a conventional beverage container. The present invention is also designed as a final factory add-on product at the manufacturing plant.
2. Description of Prior Art
The aluminum-type can of the pull-tab type has long been the standard container-dispenser. Soft drinks, beer, fruit and vegetable juices are commonly packaged in such containers. However, none of them provide a protective cover from the manufacturer to protect the consumers from possible contamination. In fact, the conventional pull-tab type beverage container suffers at least three disadvantages that is what the present invention attempts to solve. First, most of us simply pull the tab to open a beverage can and directly drink from it the can. This is ignoring the fact that the outside of the can, including the region of the opening where the lips must be placed for drinking, is rarely sanitary. Although the exterior of the container may have been reasonably clean upon leaving the factory assembly line, dust, dirt, bacteria and viruses can all contaminate the drinking area after entering a processing chain that can include numerous commercial and personal handling. Second, a conventional pull-tab type beverage can lacks a resealing mechanism once it is opened. The problem of insects, particularly bees, entering sugar-sweetened soft drink or the like, and airborne contamination from wind-blow dust and dirt are common, particularly when such drinks are consumed outdoors. Third, in many cases of pop-top cans, the punch key that is used to separate the flap from the top along the predefined scored boundary, is usually secured to a center rivet pin and laying parallel to the can's surface. In order to lift the punch key, one must use a fingertip to hook onto the punch key's underside and pull upwardly. This is particularly difficult for people who have long fingernails. Moreover, attempting to use the fingertip to lift the key in opening a beverage can is rarely a pleasant experience, although it is not typically a painful one. Numerous attempts have been made to provide a protective cover for soft drinks in the past. However, most of them suffer drawbacks one way or another. For example, most of the prior art devices are not manufacturer provided but optional add-on products by the users; it is very inconvenient to carry along a piece of beverage can cover wherever one goes. Also, most of the manufacturers are not apt to replace the existing pull-tab type beverage can top, because it is not economic to make major alterations at the manufacturing plant.